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January 13, 2020
The theme for this year’s Respect Life Essay Contest, organized by the archdiocesan Office of Human Life & Dignity, is, “Loving everyone from conception until natural death including little babies and people who are old or sick; this is what Jesus calls us to do.”
The Bible quote that served as inspiration is: “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me” (Matthew 10:40).
“Students were given the opportunity to write about the respect due babies in the womb from the moment of conception, and the importance of loving and supporting elders until natural death,” said Maria Martinez-Mont of the Office of Human Life & Dignity.
“Both babies and elders could be included in the essay or students could focus on one,” she said. “The welfare of both babies and elders is of critical importance in a throwaway culture where people may quickly be dismissed when they are perceived to be no longer productive. In this climate, the infant in the womb and the elderly may be seen as an inconvenience or a burden in their families’ lives. Society offers options that deny the right to life of these most vulnerable individuals, while our faith tells us that every life is precious in God’s eyes and has value regardless of age, stage or particular capabilities,” Martinez-Mont said.
This year’s contest extended the invitation to kindergarten and expanded categories of submission to include poetry, painting and video.
Participants included students throughout the archdiocese from kindergarten through 12th grade both in Catholic schools and in parish religious education programs as well as the home schooled.
“A group of respect life volunteers read approximately 692 submissions and carefully selected the winners and those to receive honorable mention,” Martinez-Mont said. “It was challenging to choose winners from among all the wonderful submissions.”
Volunteers shared their experience as follows:
“It was beautiful to read the profound faith of our young Catholics. I was inspired and my own faith was deepened as I read through the essays.”
“Very talented and mature children for their ages.”
“I was so impressed with the insight and creativity of many of these students on the value of life. Many had observations within their own families and with their grandparents. So many of them spoke of their deep love, which affected us all as we read these essays.”
“Some students wrote about the impact of their grandparents in leading them to their faith, the sacraments, and to God. It proved that the role of the family, of grandparents, aunts and uncles is really important in the formation of faith and ultimately of love. It was so impressive to read these wonderful thoughts and stories. Each essay we read had impact on us. Particular thanks to the teachers who lead this project in the classrooms.”
This year’s celebration will include not only the winners and those receiving honorable mention, but every student who participated, along with their families and teachers. All students with their families and teachers will receive an invitation to attend the Mass, which will be followed by awarding of prizes and a reception.
The celebration will take place at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sunday, Feb. 9, 11 a.m. Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone will celebrate the Mass and officiate at the awards ceremony.
This year’s winners and honorable-mention recipients are listed below:
HIGH SCHOOL
Grand Prize: St. Luke CCD, ninth grade. Artwork: Arriana Pascual
First Prize: San Mateo: St. Luke CCD, ninth grade, Tiffany Neher; San Francisco: Poem, 10th grade, Sacred Heart Cathedral: Kai Hinoki
Honorable mentions: Victoria Tapper, St. Luke CCD, ninth grade; Arden Moser, Mater Dolorosa CCD, 10th grade
EIGHTH AND SEVENTH GRADES
Grand Prize: Eva Salgado, St. Monica School, eighth grade, San Francisco
First Prize: San Francisco: Keiana Pineda, School of the Epiphany, seventh grade; Marin: Natalie Jaworsk, St. Isabella School, seventh grade; San Mateo: Lucia Arriaga, St. Matthew, seventh grade
Honorable Mentions: Nedine Ghattas, Our Lady of Loretto, Novato, eighth grade; Josiah Ferretty, School of Epiphany, eighth grade; Wan Kim, St. Monica School, eighth grade; Bryan Jimenez-Rodriguez, Mission Dolores Academy, seventh grade; Alessandra Hernandez, St. Matthew, seventh grade; Roderick Cormier, Our Lady of the Angels, seventh grade; Maya Jasmine Tomas, St. Veronica, eighth grade; Catherine Summe, St. Matthew, seventh grade; Ella Rae Schroth, St. Matthew seventh grade; Emma Villalobos, St. Matthew seventh grade
SIXTH AND FIFTH GRADES
Grand Prize: Aliana Chang Patel, Our Lady of Mercy, sixth grade
First Prize: San Francisco: Ami Kim, St. Monica, sixth grade; San Mateo: Ava Chiappari, Our Lady of Mercy, sixth grade; Marin (2) prizes: Ava Korich, St. Isabella, sixth grade; Samantha Ariyoshi, St. Isabella, fifth grade
Honorable Mentions: Bella Kwok, St. Thomas the Apostle, fifth grade; Deven Ho, St. Thomas the Apostle, sixth grade; Roselle Asunka, St. Mark CCD, fifth grade; Ava Legaspi, School of the Epiphany, fifth grade; Vincent Nunez, St. Matthew, sixth grade; Lucina Theresa Gonzalez, All Souls CCD, fifth grade; Jolie Girgis, Our Lady of Angels, sixth grade; Giovanni Gonzalez, Our Lady of Angels, sixth grade; Heyden Fong, St. Catherine of Siena, sixth grade; Emma Dugoni, Our Lady of Angels, sixth grade; Daniela Reynoso, St. Veronica, fifth grade; Matthew Ayon, All Souls, sixth grade; Lomani Nguyen, St. Matthew, fifth grade; Mia Anibale St. Isabella, sixth grade
THIRD AND FOURTH GRADES
Grand Prize: Alessandra Rolle, St. Catherine of Siena, fourth grade
First Prize: San Mateo: Selena Alaura Reyes, St. Veronica, fourth grade; San Francisco (2) prizes: Carl Henry Paredes, Epiphany fourth grade; Eliza Jane Kojder, St. Finn Barr, third grade ; Marin: Beatrice Pheatt, St. Isabella, third grade
Honorable Mentions: Layla Apour, St. Catherine of Siena, fourth grade; Santiago Lopez, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, fourth grade; Santiago Alvarez, St. Catherine of Siena, fourth grade; Genevieve Napier, St. Veronica, third grade; Marco Gomez, Holy Angels, fourth grade; Isabella Yurick, St. Catherine of Siena, third grade; Charmagne Lopez, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, fourth grade; Stella Jolie Angelo Vecchida, Our Lady of Loretto, third grade; Charlotte Maloney, St. Isabella, fourth grade
FIRST AND SECOND GRADES
Grand Prize: Rachel Ho, St. Thomas the Apostle second grade
First Prize: San Francisco: Julieanne Cadiz, St. Monica, first grade; Marin: Logan Spence, St. Isabella, second grade; San Mateo: Bellerose Carner, St. Catherine of Siena, second grade
Honorable Mentions: Samantha Wiley, St. Isabella, second grade; Morgan Pahk, St. Isabella, first grade; Ava Roberts, Our Lady of Loretto, second grade; Itzayanna Gutierrez, St. Thomas Apostle, second grade; Jady Au, St. Monica, second grade; Soleil Uribe, Our Lady of Mercy, second grade; Catherine Stallman, St. Catherine of Siena, first grade; Anastasia Carner, St. Catherine of Siena first grade; Katherine Morales, Our Lady of Mercy, second grade; William Gonzalez, St. Catherine of Siena, first grade; Kaitlyn Franco, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, second grade
KINDERGARTEN
Grand Prize: Caitlin Pabalan, St. Cecilia
First Prize: Aila Walker, St. Cecilia
Honorable Mentions: Keilani Malong, St. Cecilia; Elliot Chambers, St. Cecilia; Charlotte Outram, St. Cecilia